Station of the Peonia officinalis

A wonderful corner in bloom on the Sella del Col Fenêtre, which extends between the municipalities of Arnad and of Perloz, along the slopes of the watershed divide between Mont Fenêtre and Croux Ciurma.A lovely occasion to walk across its meadows, maceration zones, larch woods and sparse beech woods, but mainly to encounter the beautiful Paeonia officinalis, a species of Euro-Siberian origin, rare in the Italian Alps and Apennines and threatened by indiscriminate picking; for this reason, it has been protected under a regional law as a spontaneous and autochthonous floral species under rigorous protection. Its blossoming is spectacular at the end of June: large carmine-red flowers with five petals and yellow flamboyant anthers. The peony has been cultivated as an ornamental plant since the end of Antiquity: it is said that the first person to dedicate himself to its cultivation was the Chinese emperor Chin Ming in 2700 B.C.Fauna is also keenly present, as the environment is populated with wolves, chamois and roebucks, and it is easy to hear the drumming of woodpeckers and the chirping of coal tits.

Activites

Hiking

All itineraries are described in the TRAILS section.

Discover the site

The Peonia’s blossoming is at its maximum splendour from end of May to end of June. It is recommended to visit the site in small groups, taking care not to leave the marked trails, and especially, not to pick the flowers. Visits must always be guided and carried out by our qualified personnel. It is strictly forbidden to cut flowers in the entire area of the site.

Behavioural conduct rules

Remember that the collection of this plant is prohibited and punishable.

We remind you that you can contribute to the preservation of these sites by following these simple rules:

visit the site on foot, avoid using motorized vehicles; mountain bikes and horseback riding are permitted only in specific authorized areas (external to the site): please respect hikers;

please stay within the marked trails, as trampling can ruin the fragile grass and undergrowth areas;

please observe wild animals from a distance, do not capture them, do not disturb them nor feed them, and do not photograph occupied nests;

keep your dog on a leash and on the marked trails;

do not make fires;

please bring your garbage , where you will find many recyclable waste-collection points.

How to get there

By car

From the autoroute’s exit at Pont-Saint-Martin, the site can be reached by turning left on the S.S. 26 state road, following directions to Perloz and entering the village of Pont- Saint-Martin. After a few hundred meters, turn left at Perloz. Continue along this same road until you reach the fraction of Fey, from which the trail marked no.1 leads to the site.

By bus

The Pont-Saint-Martin - Perloz - Marine - Fey busline is available and stops at the fraction of Fey.

Accessibility codification of sites

VIVA has chosen to supply everyone – youngsters, adults, the elderly and the disabled – with all the sites’ information so as to allow the visitor to choose a destination in an autonomous way. An “Accessibility Codification”has thus been defined.

Station of the Peonia officinalis

Information to reach the site

1

Accessibility from main roads

1

Parking for the disabled

0

Accessible restrooms

0

Information panels

2

Slopes (max 8%)

0

Trail width (min 90cm)

0

Road surface

0

Resting areas approx every 10 m

0

Safety and protection of trails

1

Periodic maintenance

1

GENERAL INDICATIONS – ASSESSMENT VALUES (0 ÷ 3):0 corresponds to ABSENCE of the indicated parameter;3 corresponds to the PRESENCE of the indicated parameter, in optimal condition; 1 – 2 are INTERMEDIATE VALUES: in general, they indicate the presence of the parameter which must however be improved (1 = sufficient, 2 = close to optimal)

Paths

Easy trails: routes that present no major technical difficulties or too challenging slopes. They can be covered in full or in small sections, allowing in both cases to come into contact with unspoilt nature, discovering its pace and balance …

Medium difficult trails: routes that can be covered in a day, varying considerably in terms of height differences and technical difficulty; the benefit is in being able to reach wildlife destinations of great impact.

Long trails: excursions lasting several days which provide for stopover places and catering along the route.